Things We Do To Make Ministry Difficult
By Pastor Chuck Swindoll
Don’t Lose Heart
“Paul loves to refer to not losing heart—says it in Galatians, says it again in Ephesians, says it again in Thessalonians. We don’t lose heart. We don’t lose heart. We don’t give up. We don’t quit. Trust me, in every ministry you serve, you’ll be tempted to quit. There’ll be days you or your spouse, if you’re married, will have to really do some self-talk here, to keep you at it, so you don’t lose heart. Because something great is to be said for those who have long-term ministries, and they stay at it. They stay at it, year after year after year after year. It takes special mercy.”
Leave Control at the Door
“We cannot control everything. So if you’re a controller, leave that at the door. Come to terms with that. Stop the controlling. You don’t control the church you serve. You don’t control the decisions that are going to be made. When you try to do that, you’re walking in the flesh, and you’re going to regret it.”
The Power of Sincerity
“You disarm your congregation. You disarm your classes. You disarm whoever may be the realm of your ministry with your absolute unquestionable sincerity. You’re not hiding anything. You’re not doing something behind the scenes that’s shameful. You’re not faking it. You’re not trying to impress. You’re not putting on a show. You’re just yourself, filled with the Spirit, armed with the Word of God, quick to get out of the way, so that God can get the glory when lives begin to be changed. I’ll tell you, they will come to be around you, because they’ll want to see that. That is rare, rare, even among those in ministry, which is why this speaks with such impact.”
Surrender the Difficult Issues to God
“You cannot dodge the tough questions and the difficult issues. You can’t. You just can’t. You got to deal with them. You’ll stay up late at night because you’ll realize this is beyond you. We’re all in way over our head because it’s God’s work, so we have to say on rather frequent occasions, ‘Lord, please, God, take this. Please handle this. Please give wisdom that I don’t have. Please change such-and-such because I can’t change it.’”
Give Others Their Deserved Credit
“You’re going to be surrounded by very faithful servants who deserve the credit. Learn to give it to them. Learn that, when you do that, God honors that kind of thing. Very few things are ever done solo. Very few things.”
Additional Resources
First, sign up for our Chuck’s Insights on Ministry email where we bring you his best thoughts on preaching, leadership, and ministry each week. By signing up, you’ll instantly receive a one-page checklist with 20 preaching insights from Chuck. See this page’s sidebar.
Second, check out our new Preach The Word articles and video series on YouTube where we’re teaching Chuck’s best insights on this important calling.
Third, listen to Chuck’s messages to those in ministry through our Seminary Chapels page. For decades, he offered students at Dallas Theological Seminary his best thoughts on church leadership and ministry. Now, we have put them at your finger tips. Also, you can find them through this YouTube playlist we created for you.
Fourth, if you don’t own a copy of Chuck’s book on preaching, Saying It Well, we highly recommend you add it to your library. It’s his preaching memoir that is also like a practical preaching manual. You won’t be able to put it down.
About the author
Pastor Chuck Swindoll
Pastor Charles R. Swindoll has devoted his life to the accurate, practical teaching and application of God’s Word. He is the founding pastor of Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, Texas, but Chuck’s listening audience extends far beyond a local church body. As a leading program in Christian broadcasting since 1979, Insight for Living airs around the world. Chuck’s leadership as president and now chancellor emeritus at Dallas Theological Seminary has helped prepare and equip a new generation of men and women for ministry.
